A blog for those who may have read the Mastering Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 or Mastering Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 books and, of course, for those who haven't but might be interested in SharePoint's secrets nonetheless.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

You know that SharePoint (That's at least MOSS and WSS3) is capable of indexing the contents of Office files because it comes with built in Ifilters for those products. You, like myself, have also read the hype about the fact that SharePoint was also meant, out of the box, to be able to index content of OCR TIFF files.

But, when you add a TIFF to a library, and then search for it, the file doesn't come up in the results unless your query includes something from the file's metadata.

And that is because, despite the Ifilter being built in, it is not turned on. In order to enable the ifilter for OCR to be enabled you must enable it in the registry of the sharepoint server (and likely all servers on the farm). The KB article outlining what to do is: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/837847. Please note, as I am in the last throes of editing the book I don't have time to try this puppy out. So all I am, at this point, is the messenger girl. But if I get it to work I'll try to squeeze it into chapter 15. If I can't, well, you'll read about here with screenshots and everything.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

So I am messing around with libraries while I edit the library chapter, and I came across something that puzzled me earlier (when I was writing the chapter) but I didn't have time to mess with it.

I don't have time to mess with it now, but I can't take the chance of ignoring it either.

Have you ever noticed, when you are in a document library, that you can use Explorer view?

Have you noticed, in Explorer View (or if you use Open with Windows Explorer, you get an explorer window), that there is a hidden folder called Forms?

Have you noticed, in the Forms folder that there is a file called Combine.aspx?

Have you ever wondered what it does or why it's there?

Well, for starts, it is a view page that displays the libraries contents with check boxes so you can select several of the library items in one shot, and a Merge Selected Documents button. However, it will never work for a standard library holding standard documents or other files.

So why is it available in a document library? I don't know, but maybe it was an oversight and MS should have removed it before RTM. Maybe it's an unfinished feature left in and forgotten in the rush to release.

Nonetheless, Combine.aspx, which opens a Merge Documents view in a library, is supposed to allow you to merge InfoPath forms, if you are using an InfoPath template for the library (and if you are using a Forms Library you are), and if InfoPath is installed locally on the machine you are using to access the site and perform this function.

What I know for sure is, no matter what you do in a document library, you will always get an error dialog box that is completely useless. It tells you, again and again, to make sure you have the correct template associated with the library and if you don't, and you are allowed to administer the library, please change the template to the correct one---- with no mention as to what the correct one would be (my guess is InfoPath).

I think, despite the fact that Combine.aspx exists in the Forms folder, that's why Merge Documents is not a standard view in the view drop down menu for any library--- not even the Forms library.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

You know the old adage, "The only secure computer is one that is off, unplugged, in the back of a closet." Securing data has always been a case of how inaccessible you want the data to be. If accessing data easily from anywhere is the main focus of a product, chances are good that security will not be.

I was recently asked to submit some abstracts to a conference in Toronto (absolutely *love* that city, those people rock). It's a hardcore security conference. And they want me to, since I am so into WSS, to focus on WSS security.

So, what would I talk about concerning security to this jaded bunch of experts?

How about being prepared for the disgruntled administrator? About *really* securing Central Administration? Or what damage you can do with knowing the server farm account, or content database accounts? Or what nefarious things can be done with policy for web application? I dunno. I have been so busy, so overwhelmed, with documenting all the normal functions of sharepoint, I really haven't had time yet to focus on exploiting it.

And now, in the middle of editing, maybe I should. I know, I am doing something else, but this is how it happens. You never get opportunities when you can do them, only when you are too busy to think about them. But inevitably, those opportunities come up, like a call for papers, months before the actual event takes place.

So, in order to have a job at all in November, I have to find time to respond now.

I'll let you know what I come up with, and whether or not they are accepted, as soon as I can.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Okay look, in chapter 4, I talk about, and demonstrate, using the closed web part gallery.

But there's something I forgot to say, and it is driving me nuts.

The closed web parts gallery is page specific. It makes sense. If you close a web part on a page, sharepoint will remember it in case you change your mind.

It is not site wide, it is not site collection wide. If you try to be clever and close a web part on page one, thinking it would go to the closed web part gallery and be available on page two, you would be sorely mistaken. See, that's what exporting and the site collection web part gallery are for.

Further, the closed web part gallery is page view version specific. In otherwords, and this makes sense if you think about it, if you have a web part on a page's shared version, it will be on your personal version of the page. Then if you edit your personal version, and in doing so close the web part, it will show up in the closed web part gallery for that version of the page, only.

If you go back to the shared version of the page, the web part is still there. And if you check the galleries, you'll see that its not on that version's closed web parts.

Something else to keep in mind is if you have many, many closed web parts associated with a page or page version, it might load more slowly. So if slow page loads have begun to plague your home page, check to see how many closed web parts might be lurking in your (or the user's) closed web parts gallery. Consider that when configuring the web parts, you might want to allow delete (which deletes the web part from the users' personal version of the web part page), but not close-- just in case.

I really wish I'd remember to put this in. I just hit send, then remembered.

Pages

Welcome to the Adventures of a Server Grrl-the WSS edition

This site was created as a location to dish about the Mastering Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (and Mastering SharePoint Foundation 2010) books, as a place to communicate with me directly, and allow me to communicate directly with you. There were so many things I wanted to say that didn't make it to print. So I felt I needed a place to tell you about them.

So please join me here as I essentially continue to write my book, covering more and more WSS 3.0 stuff as I learn them. From my desk to yours.

Gentle suggestions for the next edition, improvements, and questions welcome. : )

Twitter username: cacallahan

(please note that the original content of this blog is the copywritten material of CallahanTech, 2007-2012. All rights reserved.)

To buy on Amazon

Happenin' Things

In 2013:

I did two sessions about SharePoint 2013 for the PacIT Pro folks at TechDays San Francisco.

I'll be doing book signings and attending TechEd North America in New Orleans this year.

I'll be speaking at SPTechCon in Boston in August, doing a 3 hour pre-conference tutorial, and a breakout session

In 2012, I did speak at or otherwise work TechEd North America, TechEd Europe (in Amsterdam), SharePoint Conference 2012, and SEF 2012 in Stockholm Sweden.

In November, I will be visiting Sweden for the first time as a speaker for the SEF 2011 event (SharePoint and Exchange Forum 2011), November 14-15th. I will be doing two sessions: "SharePoint Design Fundamentals" and "Monitoring your SharePoint Foundation server at no extra cost." I will also probably be giving out a copy of my book at the event.

At the end of October, October 29th, 2011 to be exact, I am speaking at the SharePoint Saturday event in Cincinatti. My session is going to cover "Permissions, things I've learned the hard way." If you're in town, please stop on by.

I won an "Unsung Hero" award to attend and staff the SharePoint Conference in Anaheim, CA, October 3-6th, 2011. I will be working the Hands-On labs (just like I did for TechEd this year). If you are attending the event, please stop by and visit. Frankly, doing the labs hands-on have always been the best part of these events. Why watch someone do what you can actually do yourself? I'll be posting on twitter (as cacallahan) my specific hours if you would like to stop by and say hi!

For September 2011, I'll be the featured speaker at the SharePoint TechDay in San Francisco on the 23rd. It will be a whopping 6 hour session, covering all kinds of topics that a SharePoint adminstrator needs to know. A kind of "kitchen sink" session, this will focus on what an administrator who might have inherited a SharePoint implementation needs to know by the end of their first work day. Figure out what kind of implementation you have, your namespace, the web applications, their security and settings, the site collections, and sites. Along the way, see what kind of permissions are being used, suggestions on how to configure AAM, managed paths, and more. Take control of your SPF implementation, don't let it control you.

What is essentially a day long, custom course, this session will run from 10am-5pm on Friday, September 23rd at the Microsoft Office in San Francisco. It is not entirely free, but very inexpensive at $99 a person. To register go to http://techdays.org/2011/09/spwithca/.

In August 2011, I'll be doing a double-header in Columbus. On the 18th I'll be speaking at the BuckeyeSPUG (Columbus SharePoint User Group) meeting about Permissions.

Then that Saturday, August 20th, I'll be doing a session on Multi-Tenancy, what it is and why you might want to use it. So if you are in the area, please stop by.

On July 27th, 2011, I'll be in Cleveland Ohio speaking that the Cleveland SharePoint Users Group meeting. I will be covering how to create do-it-yourself dashboards and giving out a copy of my Mastering Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 book. If you're in the area, feel free to stop by.

For the week of May 16th-19th, 2011, I will be working the Hands-On labs, SharePoint and Office section at TechEd NA in Atlanta, Georgia. Hands-On labs are always my favorite part of these events- after I hear about things during a session, I can often try them, hands on, in the labs. Very useful for a servergrrl like me. Feel free to stop by.

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For the week of June 7th to the 11th I will be working as a Product Expert in the SharePoint track at TechEd 2010 in North America. This year the event will be held in New Orleans. If you are attending the event, feel free to stop by the booth, I'd be glad to meet you.

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December 16th, 2009, I'll be offering a free Windows Server 2008 R2 Firestarter Launch event at the Microsoft Offices in downtown Pittsburgh. This will be a deep dive, demonstration heavy, IT pro happening, focused on new features and capabilities of the most recent Server release.

I will be carrying this event alone, from finding the venue, to buying the refreshments, to doing all four hours of presentations. Right now I am trying to drum up more attendees, because I need a minimum of 25 people.

So if you're in the Pittsburgh area on the 16th, and would like a chance to see live demos (no high level overviews here) of new things in Server 2008R2-- like Active Directory Recycle bin (my fave), booting to VHD, Hyper-V (at the least because I'll be using it extensively all day), Power Management, Remote Server Manager (and the AD management center), powershell V2 (from an IT pro perspective of course), and much, much more-- then stop on by.

November 21st, 2009, I'll be carry a Introduction to SharePoint track at the Richmond, VA SharePoint Saturday event. (earlier in this space I'd posted that I'd be carrying most of a track, but an additional room was booked and now I am doing all four sessions)

My sessions will be back to back in four, one hour pieces. Starting with What is SharePoint, then A day in the life of a SharePoint User, then Make the most out of Lists and Libraries, and finally Make the most out of Web parts (a remake of my Frugal Admin, built-in web parts session, for those of you who have been looking to take that one but couldn't-- 'til now).

It will be held at the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

Parham Road Campus in Richmond Virginia. As of 11/18/09, there are still a few seats available if you want to sign up. Click the logo below to be taken to their site for more information.

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November 14th, 2009, I'll be presenting two sessions:

-- Frugal Admin: Create your own Dashboards (for those of you that missed it in Baltimore)

-- Migrating to 2010; The good, the bad, and the ugly.

At the SharePoint Saturday event in Cleveland Ohio. There will likely be a fun SharePint event afterwards, and rumor has it that attendees will get a cool SPS Cleveland pint glass as well...

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August 20th, 2009, I'm visiting the fine folks in Columbus Ohio at the Central Ohio SharePoint User Group meeting. I'll be doing the fourth part of the Frugal Admin series; "Exploiting the free online offerings for SharePoint". I'm primarily going to cover Fantastic 40 templates, Community Kit for SharePoint, Codeplex in general, solution accelerators, a few nifty blogs, some nifty SharePoint add-ons, and more. (really, whatever I can fit in the time they give me)

If you're in the area, come on by the Microsoft Office on Lyra Drive (8800 Lyra drive, suite 400 I believe) around 5:30pm.

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July 25th, 2009, I am going to be presenting a Frugal Admin series Dashboards session at the SharePoint Saturday event in Baltimore. This event is free to all attendees and will be chock full of SharePoint MVP goodness. I'll be there to give out a free copy or two of my book, sign a few, and just say hello to other SharePoint fans (and victims, lol). So if you can, stop on by. Oh, and did I mention free?

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SSWUG (the SQL Server Worldwide User Group) is rebroadcasting my sessions in a "Summer Refresher '09" event July 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Stop by http://www.vconferenceonline.com/shows/summer09/uvc/ and sign up to see some old favorites, like "Avoid Disaster without spending a penny," "Pump up those list views," "Useful, effective templates, from Microsoft, for free," and the first three sessions of the Frugal Admin series: "How to get the most out of the built-in web parts," "How to make your own Dashboards," and "Create your own site templates."

(not a free event)

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I am not going to be presenting at TechEd this year, but I will be volunteering in the Windows Server area. Come visit if you'd like.

On April 23rd and 24th, I'll be doing some sessions for a SSWUG.org SharePoint VConference (check out their linked logo):

These sessions will be one hour apiece and are all part of the "Frugal Admin Series: How to get the most out of WSS for the least amount of cash":

-- How to get the most of the built-in web parts

-- Do it yourself dashboards

-- Make your own Custom Site Templates

Stop by, sign up, and check it out. I have a VIP code--SPVCCASP09. If you use it, it takes an additional $10 off the $125 (early bird) conference fee.

Hey, every little bit helps.

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SharePoint Saturday, DC, May 1st.

On May 1st, I'll be presenting one of the Frugal Admin series sessions, "Make your own custom site templates" at the DC SharePoint Saturday at the Reston, VA Microsoft Offices. The session will be an hour long. The event is completely free. So, if you're in the neighborhood, stop on by. I'll be glad to see ya.

Also happenin' at the SharePoint Saturday event is a charity food drive contest (http://www.sharepointsaturday.org/dc/pages/charity.aspx). So you won't just get some free training in SharePoint, you can do some good in the world as well. Check out the link and see if you can join in.

Oh, and BTW, the "prize" for the contest is an hour with the speaker of your choice. So if you've ever wanted to have a speaker's undivided attention for an hour, this is a good way to do it.

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I was just informed last night, 3/24/2009, that the event listed below has been completely cancelled. Yes, the entire 70 speaker, 110 session conference in a four star resort in Wisla, Poland has been simply cancelled.

I was to leave the US on Tues, 3/31. So as you can imagine, it came as quite a shock to be told less than a week before that all plans are off...

Crazy huh? Yes, these things can happen.

Click on the event icon below (and translate the site into your language, you can use Google Translate) to see exactly what happened. I cannot be guarantee how long the site will remain up, so don't dally if you want the inside scoop.

The first weekend in April (3/2 to 3/5), I was going to be speaking at TechFest 2009 in Wisla Poland (yay Poland!).

I was going to be doing four, hour and a half sessions from the Frugal Admin series:

-- How to get the most of the built-in web parts

-- Do it yourself dashboards

-- Make your own Custom Site Templates

-- Exploiting what's out there, how to get more free WSS stuff from the internet

Luckily I will be doing some lighter, shorter, recorded versions of the first three of them at the vconference later in the month (see below). So if you are interested in the content, that's where you can go-- cuz obviously they ain't happenin' in Poland now...

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SharePoint Conference 2009, Las Vegas, baybee!

I am not going to be presenting at this one, but it'll be chock full of SharePoint goodness. Not just an IT conference that has a SharePoint track, this one's all SharePoint all the time.

Have errata?

Just email servergrrl.wss at gmail.com if you've found a pesky editing error, printing blooper, or some other issue with the Mastering WSS 3.0 book. I gladly check that account regularly and would appreciate your feedback.

(thanks to Ricky and Dave Shellenberger for your comments, this widget's for you )